EQUALITY OF SACRIFICE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3150, 31 July 1917, Page 7

EQUALITY OF SACRIFICE

toPiF'^ 1 ca . n . scarcely congratulate Jfr. "SSW f at - tem, ? t t0 critioiEe a TO- - i 15 of mm ? ln a contemporary. ■He should read, carefully any proposal r 6 attempts to criticise, to make sura °e has grasped the meaning of the proposals, and should also think well before- , *e. rushes into print. ■* list.—He says that "vast numbers of ■P|°P J e aro being carried on the backs *t the hard-working, persevering, and saving industrialist. Vast numbers of people are living on the. product of the i rm . er " 0 are 'he "vast numbers" ot these parasites, who "toil not, neither rto they spin"? I have heard it said thai those are parasites whose wealth is largely community created, whose incomes are not due to their own efforts, or, perhaps I should say, are greater .than the productive service they render to the community. However, there is no need to labour this point—your correspond- \ ent has not strengthened his , position by his absurd statement. . • . Second.—l am "a; very ill-informed .Toung man" if I think farmers ajre going to allow "entrepreneurs" to' mako 30U per cent, out of their products. In the very next sentence he says that some one is actually doing it, and. so far tho /fanners have not prevented it. I' may say that I can find nothing in' my letter on the. subject, so that Mr. Barton s sneer is pointless. l Third.—l did not advocate taking peoples oapital; nor does Professor so evidently Mr.-Barton has not Seen reading the "Econoinio Journal." But I do advocate the taking of surplus inCome—not by. excess profits tax, nor by Jratter : fat levy, .for both .are unfair in ■-tneir. incidence, and tho former is incapable of assessment Fancy excess profits in , a , gold.mine; or excess profits on a dentist's income! Here is a typical case of conscription. A young lawyer who MS by ability and close attention to Wp worked up a practice worth I AlflOO a year net, married in June, 1915, and has one child. He is drawn in tho ballot, passed as .fit, and enters camp oil pay of os. a day.. If ho gets the full extra allowance he ruay-be paid .£IBO a year. His office 19 elbeed," his professional income oeaeea absolutely. And yet vour correspondent calls a. scheme 'by which those who don't go shall bear the cost of the war a "plunder scheme"! What does he call the-type of conscription that we hare, in which my young lawyer friend is taxed nt the rate of 82 pei , cent, on a very moderate income? \ The principal cause of the; inflation during war time is the huge creations of credit—not of money, unless there is an .inconvertible paper issue—involved in subsoription ; ,to war loans, In Germany ■ the inflation is enormous, since a great .proportion of their.war expenditure has been financed by loan. In Great Britain it is considerable., and we in New Zealand get tho backwash from the Homeland. By its inflation method the Government raises the market against itself, and so makes the war.moro cosily. The disturbance of industry and .commerce ie largely a result of Government action.

Finally, Hr. • Barton's reference to Macedonia eudts my argument admirably. I maintain that the "patriot" who shouts from tho housetops bis loyalty and wants to put the principal sacrifice on the other fellow had. bettor -remain silent. Tho soldier's wife and family are called upon to do without him for the rest of the war, perhaps far ever. Would an equal hardship be imposed on your correspondent if he were called uipon to do without hia surplus income-? Would he let h;e estate deteriorate or deplete his ilooks vhen his country had need of bis loyal f-ervice; would he "go slow"? Surely not! Even if his patriotism did. not lead Hm to 1 maintain "his estate at its full efficiency his 6elf-inteTost would.

I believe, sir, that Mr. Barton would willingly fight for bis country, if he were eligible. Hβ -would face dmth -..-ith a Bmile, with thoughte of this gieat country in .his mind. Ho will generously give thousands to natriotio funds while others, wealthier perhaps, give nothing. And yet he will defend a system that is from beginning to end unjust; ho will <all the .man who points/ out tho injustice a demagogiie, although that came demagogue is quite prepared to .make a sacrifice proportionally as great ;;s ho would ask others to do. Five per cent, on an income of JttO involves ;>s gieat, if not a greater, sacrifice as 25 per cent, on one of ,£4OOO. The one involves a ieal sacrifice of necessaries, the other a sacrifice of luxuries or a limitation of saving. I hope to see my critic joint with those who are insisting that pistico shall be done to those who are lighting, to those who are going to fight,- one in ten of whom will give his Mfe, v.istice which can only be secured by such a. sji.tem as will ensure approximate equality of sacrifice.—l am, etc., ■ F.V. WILSON.' Wellington, July 30, 1317.